Senegal parade AFCON trophy in Paris amid stripping controversy
Senegal paraded the Africa Cup of Nations trophy before Saturday’s friendly match against Peru at Stade de France—despite being stripped of the title earlier this month.
Morocco were declared the winner of the 2025 AfCON tournament when the Confederation of African Football (CAF) overturned the result of January’s final.
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Senegal’s players left the field in protest when, with the score at 0-0, hosts Morocco were awarded a stoppage-time penalty.
Chaotic final
When they returned after a delay of about 17 minutes, Morocco subsequently failed to score the spot kick, and Senegal netted an extra-time winner.
Following an appeal by the Moroccan FA (FRMF), CAF later ruled that Senegal had forfeited the match, and Morocco was awarded a 3-0 victory.
Senegal has lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which has said it will rule on the matter “as swiftly as possible”.
”The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) confirms receipt of an appeal by the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF, in French) against the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF, in French),” the statement from CAS said in part.
In its submission to CAS, the Senegalese federation asked for several key outcomes:
The annulment of CAF’s decision
Recognition of Senegal as AFCON 2025 winners
Immediate suspension of the deadline to submit a detailed appeal brief until CAF provides a fully reasoned decision.
Lap of honour
Before the match against Peru, captain Kalidou Koulibaly and his teammates entered the pitch with the AFCON trophy for a lap of honour, before Koulibaly and goalkeeper Edouard Mendy went up to the stadium’s presidential box to place the trophy there.
The friendly in Paris is Senegal’s first match since the AFCON final and forms part of their preparations for the World Cup, which starts in June.
They have been drawn in the same group as France, Norway, and either Bolivia or Iraq.
